As a print service provider, the retail sector can offer many opportunities to sell your products and services. Besides permanent signage and branding, stores frequently run new promotions which require everything from advertising posters to floor graphics.
One of the key skills to building a business is the ability to upsell and cross-sell products. Knowing the types of products that retail businesses are likely to need improves your chances of increasing orders for printed products.
Digital printing and cutting equipment is known for being extremely versatile, yet surprisingly few owners use their devices to their fullest potential. Fortunately, almost everything in the following list can be produced using the exact same equipment.
Here is a list of print products that you can make using digital printing equipment and sell to retail customers.
Retail Signage, Posters and Banners
Firstly, you don’t need to stray far from the typical work you’re used to. Retail outlets and stores have similar requirements for standard sign and graphics applications, from permanent signage to replacement posters for A-frames and a variety of hanging banners.
For every new product launch or seasonal promotion, there will be a requirement for advertising graphics of all sizes, featuring everything from simple text to high-definition photographs – all of which are achievable with digital printing equipment.
In-store Graphics
Similarly, stores will always need to replace in-store graphics, whether that’s floor graphics, or decals for doors and windows. In all cases, the only things that change are the media and the application process. For example, floor graphics will likely require some additional lamination to protect the print and mitigate the risk of slips and trips.
Either way, in-store graphics production is well within your capabilities if you already produce printed products. If you let your retail clients know that you can help them, they have no reason to go elsewhere, which is convenient for them and profitable for your business.
Shelf Talkers and Shelf Wobblers
These small adornments are easy to produce with digital printing equipment and, with the right devices, you can create high-quality products that can command good prices. In their simplest form, a shelf talker is just a folded piece of cardboard which can slot into the shelf unit to promote a specific product, but several varieties are available.
Take a look around on your next shopping trip and see if you can generate ideas for more promotional printing products.
Menus and Table Talkers
Just like retail businesses, food and hospitality businesses are under the same pressure to keep their offerings fresh and interesting.
Menus can come in all forms from simple paper menus to self-standing cardboard table talkers. Some restaurants might stick to the same favourites, month-in and month-out, but today it’s more common to see new breakfast, lunch and dinner menus for every season, or even special menus on different days of the week.
As they are handled by customers, they will need to be replaced regularly, so this presents a great opportunity for repeat business.
Hang Tags
Any time you buy a new shirt, one of the first things you’ll do is cut off the hang tags and throw them away. Although they’re often overlooked, these tags can really add to the perceived value of a product and their design and execution can make a big difference to the way customers feel about the products they buy.
With a flatbed printing solution, you can experiment with thicker card stock and, using gloss UV ink, you can add interesting effects and even foiled details.
Packaging
The pressure to offer customers something fresh and new also extends into packaging. Even if the contents remain the same, a new box can give the impression that something about the product has been improved.
For larger runs, companies will generally use large printing presses to produce thousands of boxes, but there are big opportunities to be had at the prototyping stage.
At the other end of the scale, smaller independent producers can make do with a plain box or packet, using stickers to create a unique brand.
Labels and Stickers
Packaging is only one area where you can offer print-and-cut stickers. Retail businesses always have a need for stickers, whether they’re used to promote a limited discount, or used back-of-house to keep their inventory in order.
Although they can easily buy generic stickers from any number of suppliers, you can offer them their own branded stickers in any shape or colour.
POP Displays
Arguably, every print product you provide to a retailer can be categorised as a Point of Purchase (POP) or Point of Sale (POS) product. In this case, we’re referring to rigid or self-standing items, such as standees, cut-outs, and strut cards. These can range from simple display units to complex and interesting cardboard constructions.
Both roll-to-roll and flatbed print solutions can be used in the production of these items and, very often, templates can be easily found to help with design and production.
Coupons, Vouchers and Loyalty Cards
Larger national and international chains produce collateral for loyalty schemes in huge volumes and their printing processes reflect this. However, smaller independent stores, cafes and even barbers have seen the value of starting customer loyalty activity.
You can help them bring their dreams to life, adding unique designs, barcodes and QR codes to their specifications. Who knows, it could be you who gives them the idea in the first place!
Conclusion
These are just a few examples of the many print products that you can offer to your retail clients. Thanks to the versatility of digital printing and cutting devices, all of these opportunities are within your grasp.
If you’d like to know more, get in touch with a Roland DG expert and they’ll be glad to help.